The Road of Love
by AkemiYumikov3
Summary: Things go wrong, lives are lost, and fate is cruel. NejiTen


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

"_How much would you be willing to sacrifice for someone you love?" Lee asked. TenTen and Neji shrugged, not being able to answer._

TenTen, 18, Hyuuga Neji, 19, Rock Lee, 18, Maito Gai, 34 or the former Team Gai was sent on a mission to bring information from Sound. This is what happens when things go wrong.

* * *

"Lee!! Move now!" TenTen shouted panicked. Normally, an experienced shinobi such as herself would not be panicking, but between her other teammate Hyuuga Neji's unconscious condition, leaving behind her sensei Maito Gai as a distraction to the Sound Ninjas that were hot on their trail would definitely not ensure the famous Weapons Mistress in a calm and collected mood.

Rock Lee obeyed his female teammate's command, grabbing Neji's unconscious body as he leapt into a high branch of a strong tree near him, keeping silent. TenTen grabbed her scrolls and did a few handseals, using the newest technique she had so far.

"Dragon Art, Weapon Dance!" TenTen shouted as she saw the approaching enemy ninjas. TenTen's weapons, with the aid of her chakra circled around her like a DNA, protecting her from the various weapons of the Sound aimed towards her. When the Sound exhausted their weaponry, she grinned deviously and aimed her weapons up in the air and after forming the ram handseal, shouted "Weapon Barrage!" And dropped her hands. Her army of weapons rained down from the sky, various sharp metal things and exploding tags hitting the ninjas. As soon as the smoke cleared, the enemies were finished off and TenTen was staggering slightly from too much chakra usage.

"Lee, -huff- let's go back to Gai-sensei.-huff-" She said, panting.

"No, TenTen, he's heading toward us!" Lee said, exuberant.

"Thank Kami!" TenTen replied, also grinning while holding her side, when she saw that their mentor suffered only wounds, nothing severe.

"TenTen, Lee, are you alright?" Gai asked. After receiving their nods, he made an immediate descision.

"I know you are both still tired, but we have to move quickly. If more Sound Ninjas attack us, we would lose our chance to complete our mission and deliver these documents to our Hokage!"

"Not to mention losing our lives." TenTen added sourly.

"TenTen, our youthful flower! Are you sure you can handle the journey?" Lee asked concerned. TenTen glared at him insulted, and faced Gai.

"Gai-sensei, let's move."

They headed to Konoha at top speed, well, as fast as they could go with Gai carrying Neji and Lee supporting TenTen. Upon reaching the gates of Konoha, TenTen fainted.

* * *

A few days later, Team Gai (minus Neji) was in the hospital-again. TenTen only suffered minor chakra exhaustion and slept the whole pain away. Neji, though, was a different case. He suffered major wounds, severe burns, not to mention major chakra exhaustion. Fighting the bulk of Sound Ninjas really hurt him. Now, they were currently here for an announcement.

"Gai-sensei, TenTen, Lee, right this way please." Uchiha Ino, who was working in the hospital part-time while working as Head of Interrogations Unit, and a mother to three kids, was solemn.

"Ino, how is he? Is he going to be alright?" TenTen demanded frantically. Her friend didn't answer while leading them to the surgery room. Inuzuka Sakura was inside, frowning.

"I'm not going to lie. Neji is in critical condition, he has very little chance of survival. Damaged lungs, broken bones, blood loss, chakra exhaustion? Things aren't looking good." TenTen and Lee's eyes were widened and their jaws hung open. Their teammate had suffered that much?

"But," Uzumaki Hinata interrupted in her small but strong voice. "Neji nii-san is strong. Maybe blood transfer would be his only solution."

"What blood type does he have?" Lee questioned.

"Positive AB. We need at least two volunteers. Hinata has already volunteered. We need one more. You three are the closeset people to him." Ino said.

"Especially you, TenTen-san." Hinata added, making TenTen's eyes widen.

"Who of you has Positive AB blood?" Sakura asked.

"TenTen does." Gai said, looking at the said kunoichi. "Well, TenTen, are you willing to donate your blood?" TenTen nodded her head and they began to do the procedure.

* * *

A few hours later, the atmosphere in the room got lighter, for when Sakura spoke this time, she was grinning ear to ear and Gai and Lee were hugging again, Hinata and Ino were trading high fives, and TenTen was holding Neji's hand.

"Success! Neji's going to live! He's in stable condition, thanks to Hinata and TenTen!" She said. The people in the room turned to look at TenTen, who was looking lovingly at Neji, who was unfortunately still unconscious. The bun-haired kunoichi blushed furiously when she saw that everyone was looking.

"What?! He might've been cold!" She said, using the lamest excuse you could ever think of.

"TenTen! The spring of youthful love inside of you has finally awoken!" Gai said, his eyes tearing. Ino put her hand over Lee's mouth before he could talk, so as not to embarrass TenTen.

"Alrighty, visiting hours are over, all of you have to go, although…" Sakura started.

"We'll make an exception for TenTen!" Hinata finished cheerily and Ino pushed them all out of the room, winking at TenTen before leaving TenTen and Neji alone.

"Stupid. Like I can even talk to you in this state. Okay, now I'm talking to someone who can't even hear what I'm saying." TenTen shook her head. "You know Neji, you really didn't have to risk your life," she continued as if Neji could actually hear her. "I know Hinata, Hiyashi-san, Gai-sensei, Lee, and of course I would want you to wake up… we wouldn't bear losing you…" She yawned and was soon asleep.

* * *

When Neji woke, he heard a faint noise on his right. He turned and was surprised to see his female teammate sleeping peacefully and sleep-talking? beside him. She was murmuring so softly that he strained to listen.

"Neji…" He was shocked. TenTen was murmuring his name? And smiling in her sleep? Neji suddenly felt… happier than he had in years. He touched TenTen's hand which was on top of his own. That small action had woken up TenTen, and as soon as she saw that Neji was awake, she immediately hugged him tight.

"Neji, Neji, Neji! Oh thank Kami you're awake!" Neji, who was too shocked to form a coherent sentence, just let an irregularly exuberant TenTen hug him. When TenTen realized what she was doing, she immediately let go of Neji and sat back in her chair, blushing furiously. "Gomen Neji…" She said, not meeting his eyes.

Neji looked at his red-as-a-tomato teammate and let a small smile stain his perfect features. TenTen's buns had come undone, and her brown hair highlighted her features, making her look extremely angelic to Neji.

TenTen, who was curious about this awkward silence, turned to face Neji. Neji let his palm rest on TenTen's face, and this time TenTen was shocked. She only had a small amount of time to examine the new look in Neji's eyes before his lips met hers.

The kiss started slowly, almost cautiously, but soon turned passionate, and the scenery of the two of them, kissing under the shade of the moon, in the middle of the night, just made it perfect.

When the kiss ended, they both stared at each other without saying anything, just the quiet lingering feeling of love stretching among them. Unfortunately, Neji was again feeling drowsy, due to the painkillers in him. No, he struggled to keep his eyes open, no way would he leave his angel there unguarded. TenTen saw Neji's struggle, and she laughed so angelically that Neji was falling asleep to that laugh.

"Sleep now, Neji. I'll be here." Well, that reassured him, and he let his mind drift when TenTen kissed his forehead.

Later, while TenTen was watching her lover sleep, a noise came to her before a voice spoke.

"My, my, lovers in the evening eh?" TenTen turned to the sound of the voice. Silver hair, glasses, Sound hitai-ate… Yakushi Kabuto.

"Kabuto." She said with as much hatred as she could manage.

"TenTen-san, I assume? I'd advise you to get out of the way and let me kill the Hyuuga so I wouldn't damage your life eh?" He said with a cold, threatening tone.

"Over my dead body." TenTen countered with as much coldness.

"Protective, aren't we? Well, I can work with your condition just fine. After killing you, I'd go after the Hyuuga left unguarded. Killing two birds with one stone."

TenTen throwed her kunais, and Kabuto blocked them all, but one hit him square in the shoulder. Soon, blocks and punches were thrown, and unfortunately for TenTen, the sound-proof walls of the hospital room was no help. And the fact that Neji was out like a light was pouring salt over the wounds. Soon, exploding tags, set by TenTen, filled the room with smoke. As soon as the smoke cleared, TenTen had a kunai in Kabuto's heart but Kabuto's kunai was lodged in her stomach. They stared at each other with full hatred as death took its toll on them.

* * *

Morning came, and Sakura screamed when she saw what was on the floor in Hyuuga Neji's room, tears brimming in her eyes. Neji woke when he heard the noise, and tears from his own eyes fell like a perfect waterfall. He didn't bother to stop them, and he jumped of the bed to hug TenTen, his lover and best friend, who died defending him. Ino and Hinata soon came after, their own eyes brimming with tears, and Hinata came over to comfort Neji, who was crying silently, burying his face in TenTen's hair.

"The bastard should be left to be eaten by wild animals!" Ino said, crying.

"I never even told her how much I loved her…" Neji said, his voice breaking.

It was a sad day for Konoha. They lost a formidable foe, but lost one of their best ninjas in return. It was the day that Gai and Lee wept again, out of sadness instead of hysterics. It was the day that Temari, Ino, Sakura, and Hinata broke down and cried so hard after losing a sister and a friend. It was also the worst day for Neji, who lost his best friend and lover.

"_Anything for love…Even my life…" _TenTen's ghostly voice, Neji swore, provided him with those last words that would be his only keys to stop him from going down the road of hysteria.

* * *

Lyn: My first NejiTen fic is finally complete!! I really feel sympathetic for Neji and TenTen. Lovers for one night and best friends forever but parted by death. This fic is dedicated to my best friend Michelle, who I owe the inspiration, although she hated the fact that I killed TenTen.


End file.
